6 Shadowplay

Kate's diary- Cairns of dust

Homes of sleeping giants

A child wastes away

All that remains of yesterday,

An immature shadowplay.

We toil, under the domes

And we toil

Until we drop

For Pharos, our only Sun

Cruel whip, guiding light

Child of God

PRAISE PAIN OR DIE!

Bound in chains

Tying Earth and Sky

Painted cornerstones

Colour of blood.

A dark empire

Crimson dyed

Parent sell child

A corner of Paradise

Grind the debt

With our bones

Dead like life

Dead like hope

A child's only laugh

A play of shadows

A child's only truth

A cave, a lie

Each time I see the AR projected on the tube's blind walls, I tend to think of these banned words I read once. Each time it's the same. The capsule leaves the station, and you see the illusionary surroundings, turning blind walls into a projection of the surface of the Moon. It is as if you were birthing from the darkness. Then you cruise on the brightly lit surface. White suddenly inundates the pod, blinding you, as if you were swimming in the thick natural light of the sun, freed like the Sky and the fucking Stars.

Cherry made us read what she called the settler's classics. Said t'was the Blues of Paradise, though I'm not too sure what she meant by that. I think it had something to do with the slaves in one of the countries before New-Eden... but that's Old-World history. All those poems and songs tend to obsess with hypercontrasts: light and dark, white dust and black sky, hope and despair, rich and poor, masters and slaves. T's always written with the perspective of the people toiling to reimburse debts their grandchildren are not able to pay to this day. It speaks of a devil's contract, signed to escape from a busted homeworld, cinder and ashes apocalypse and shit. It speaks of a lie that was offered as hope in an ocean of despair and death.

I really wonder why they cared so much about the surface. White, grey, black, grey, black, white... T'gets real old, real quick-like. The fucking sameness of the regolith cement isolation domes spread over the endless surface. Glass dust, empty fucking skies... Only a corporation or the hyper riches can afford one of those stupid windows... another babymicrodick measuring contest if y'ask me.

Cere- Next stop: Dome 6, the Presipope summer residence, Mar-a-Lago XII and the embassy. Access is reserved for New-Eden Empire's citizens only. For the other passengers, the next stop is The Asstronaughty's dome.

Kate- As if any sane person would go to that dial-up-brained rat den. Fucking cultists...

Cere- Dear Hyperloop passengers, please be advised: since no New-Eden citizens are on board, the service will resume without stopping at Mar-a-Lago XII.

Kate- Figured... only ever saw the capsule stop there once or twice.

Zealot- "PRAISE BE GOD, HIS HOLINESS THE PRESIPOPE! We are on Holy Ground! May his greatness reach out to purge the illegals, the n***** the gays, the browns, the mixed filth, the Jews and the witches vermins and all other impure. May he MAKE PARADISE GREAT AGAIN for us believers and cast the unfaithful whores out!"

Kate- Fucking cowardly retard, only dares to say his insane shit when he's inside the embassy's territory. Anywhere else and I could book his ass with extreme prejudice. Would never dare to say anything like that outside of their direct protection. Talk about a closeted asshole. I hope he says anything after we leave, so want to break him into small pieces... Can't do anything here myself, their concentration camps ain't no joke, even for PC's lax politic on human rights abuses.

My prosthetics are itching. Feels like the time when they cleaned and implanted the end of my stump with Nanos. Fuck *cough* that "cost containment" maniac... *huff* making me think about that shit... *wheeze* *gulp*

Cere- Kate, are you OK? your breathing is rough I think you have another attack.

Kate- What's the freak?... 'm I sick or something? Designer ultra killer sleeper terrorist virus? *Wheeze*

"Cere, authorize... dr...Tson emergency medical assistance." *Cough*

Cere- Disclaimer: Thank you for choosing Dr. Watson for your medical emergency. Considering your problem is not life-threatening, 26,99C will be deducted from your account as consultation fees. Error, insufficient funds. Interests will be compiled from now on. You are suffering from a pan... at...

Kate- Black... everything fades to black like a fucking curtain call on my shit life. I'm so fucking dead now. Good!

Teen Kate- Hey diary, I'm suuuuuper happy today! I'm going to see Stink. I think he's cute and he's getting famous since he made that smell profile for mom's last VR movie. I can't wait to sniff what he made this week. Maybe I should try to kiss him today? Show him how I feel...

Kate- A weird-ass VR? No... memories... maybe? This puts me back, a personal diary, what a naive fucking kid. Never knew just how lucky I was back then. All I knew was that The Asstro was the only place in Paradise worth the city's namesake. Still remember that fucking day, somewhat... Some parts are sharp as a freaking blade, and others... just a freaky mess of jumbled emotions. Not even sure what's real anymore and what's not.

Teen Kate's vocal diary- A few days ago I started to work at the reception desk for the first time! SO FREAKING ICE! All I had to do was to direct them to their lusty interests. That's like my first step toward my big dream job. I want to become a freakin' Angel. People can usually only dream to become that badass, but I have the best plug EVER. Mom made them from the ground up. From a bunch of destitute slavelike prostitutes to the most elite distributors of wrath, fire and steel ever! Joining them is just natural, like a law of nature. Plus I'm awesome at training. Sooo... PERFECT MATCH!"

Kate- Dial-up-brained kid... sparing with other kids ain't combat, nor is shooting a fucking paper target. Combat is down and dirty, it is more about how much you can will yourself to hurt others than proficiency. Combat isn't a polished roundhouse kick, it's grabbing a trachea with your fingers and turning 90 degrees. Gouging eyes, clawing, biting, everything you got. And guns are not the all-powerful symbol of virility they are portrayed as. When you're not on a shooting range, adrenaline is pumping in your blood and you forgot your earmuffs... I just hope you remember how to differentiate between hard and softcover. If you don't just piss on yourself outright and freeze. No shame in that by the way, that's just instinct. Cherry doted on me way too much back then. If she had been tougher, maybe it could have all been avoided... Twenty guys in an alley... When shit hit the fan, most people just don't have the instinct. Freeze, flee, piss yourself, beg, most people will do that, even with the biggest booming dick there is. Training will do jack shit if your lizard brain doesn't want to cooperate.

Teen Kate- "Mom called me a French bird thing again... "Paon", Cere looked it up for me, a peacock bird or something from her youth on Earth. They're all extinct now I guess... poor birdies. I hope she'll stop that habit with naming, it's fucking humiliating.

Anyway, the big house is so freaking nice. It was the first time I could enter at all. With all that gold and silver and red paint, it looked like some of the old-timey Renaissance VR king's court. The workers and clients were all virtually disguised for a costumed ball event with wigs and all, and I was right in the middle. I was like a maestro guiding people toward their destination, so fucking ICE!

I can't wait to reach 25, Cherry always refused to let anyone younger in the ranks. She keeps saying it's because, before that, your brain is full of dial-up-brained hormones, making you do stupid life choices. After that age, you're a real bio-adult so anything you decide is not impulsive youth speaking anymore. It's just plain old stupidity talking and that peeps can do nothing about it except learn the hard way at that point.

I think that argument is bull! Angels are full nanotubes cyborgs with extra power armour layers on top, you basically need an artillery shell to stop them, so who fucking cares if I get in the line of fire? It's not as if they're still fighting the Emancipation War against the corp anymore. It's more like a police force, plus we have the Stars Human Shield Project now. Nobody in their right mind would risk smoking their favourite artist by accident. Talking about artists I made it to my destination. Cere, end of log...

"YO STINK! what has my favourite smell alchemist brewed this week? Anything Crescent award-worthy again?"

The Stink- "Wah what, Kate? FUCK! RUN, NEW-EDEN NUT JOBS!"

Teen Kate- "What you say?"

Kate- Fear... now I would have seen it immediately, sweaty armpits dark look in the eyes, shaky legs... the kid's terrorized, like a prude first time in front of a freaky snake. Back then I never smelled real fear up close. Cherry was too protective of her flock for that.

Cultist 1- "Grab the bitch!"

Kate- Yeah! can't believe I still feel shame for not saving the kid. T'was far from a fair fight, unarmed, surrounded and alone, against twenty or so dickwads and a scared kiddy civie to booth. Nothing could have been done then, nothing could do even fucking now. That's a no-win scenario right there. T' might be the time I let that shit go. If't was today I would just leg it as fast as I fucking could. Anything else's just bad judgment, suicidal.

Teen Kate-"LET ME GO FUCKING CREEP!"

Kate- Oooh nice kick! that one probably remembered. Yeah... remember his face when I shot him, he still remembered. The broken teeth might have jogged his memory. Still, roundhouse kicks are not exactly useful outside of friendly training. Getting bum-rushed like that after, one leg up in the air, novice move girl.

Cultist 2- "Fiesty witch! you OK Jim? *Oww* Looks bad, you lost some teeth. Don't worry she'll pay for that."

*BAM!*

Teen Kate- Red paint splatter on the wall... something is WRONG. Paint is rare in PC, enviro control is just too tight with that stuff. My ears are ringing... gunshot? THAT WAS A FUCKING GUNSHOT? The ground's moving fast somehow... no, I'm the one falling, they're pushing me down, holding me tight. I can feel knees on my back.

Teen Kate- "STINK! Let me go! STIIIINK! You're all dead, the Angels will... *mmooummooom*"

Cultist 3- "Shut up li'll bitch! Ain't no Angel in this tunnel. You should be grateful and take my dick, whore. That's what mommy trained you for anyway no? Servicing others? I'll even pay after roughing you up a bit!"

Kate- That fucker, he paid for that line... they all did! Stupid animals... I always felt I was somewhat in the wrong for going after them. Felt like a fucking monster for spilling their blood. Weird how seeing them again makes me feel a bit better. They are human... in shape, yes, but they are defective, bad coding. All they know is hate. Violence is their way to express everything. They bolster themselves against fears and feelings of inadequacy with bravado and hurting others. Didn't do anything wrong by putting the dogs down. Protected others from living the same. I should stop worrying about my soul for these deadbeats.

Cultist 1-"She'll deliver our Lord's message perfectly to the demon succubus whore. Hold her a bit"

Teen Kate- "NOOOOO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Cultist- "Nothing like fire to purge disgusting hybrids like you. You should have remembered your place Illegal."

Kate- Gas burner... a bunch of idiots, low gravity in a dome, they got lucky not to burn the whole place up. I still remember the weird feeling... my hand was super cold for some reason... while my bicep was burning like they were pouring boiling Nutrishake. The smell of sizzling meat filling my nose, it smelled horribly... good? Can't eat anything that smells like actual food since, 's that why?

Oh! Nice bite! Go girl! totally forgot that happened. Everything about then was a blur.

Cultist 1 "AAAAAAAHHHHH!!! FUCKING ANIMAL."

Kate- That punch connected hard... so, that's when I lost my eye. Savages, twenty grown dudes kicking a small girl on the ground with their mag-boots. That's when everything went black. Don't remember anything else, should be done with that flashback right?

...

Teen Kate- Acrid smell... spent gunpowder? What's going on? I can hear gunfire... I'm... alive?

Open your eyes, soldier, can't afford to sleep! One eye, two e... no, just the one. That'll do for now! Assess the situation, my right bicep feels shot to Hell. Sit, 'bserve, assess, it will be easier while not doing a degustation of the pavement. Slowly, don't know what internal damage could have, or where the enemy is.

Kate- Damn, what the fuck is she? A Terminator? She tried to use her cooked arm to sit, fall on her face, and just consider it a minor annoyance before trying again... Guess that was survival mechanisms taking over. Don't remember any of this...

Teen Kate- Right arm's bad, charred? No, cooked, no strength left in it. Guess that's what turkeys used to feel... nothing. Strange, no fear or panic. Don't feel much of anything really. Everything's weird, clearer, crisper, colours... more vibrant somehow, sounds... overwhelming, painfully so. Even clicking my fingers... painful to hear but clear, like a gunshot.

What's on my cheek? Clear liquid, a bit of blood... busted? Let's test that theory. Yeah, that's deflated retina in that hole. That's... painful? I guess... distant... let's touch again... yes... pain. Feel something. That's... helpful. helps me feel... present, yet not. Easier to concentrate for a bit. Must be adrenaline jolting the old processor. Feels like my body is a puppet on strings. Still, better than feeling absolutely nothing.

Maybe should be freaking out? The lights feel darker. Losing consciousness again... or dying maybe? Might have internal injuries from the kicks. Sorry Cherry, going light out first, know it will be hard for you... Maybe I'll go meet my bio-mom and bio-dad now?

Movement? Fuckers are coming to finish the job? No, recognize the sound of servos... Angel power suit. Angel Wings... Flashes of fire, a firefight. Stink, he might yet live somehow... Take the gas canister... soldier on and STRIKE the ground!

*CLUNG!*

Feels terrible... T's like being stabbed with a knife in the shoulder, internal injuries are real... No answer... too much noise. The shooting... strike, AGAIN!

*CLUNG!*

Stink's counting on you soldier! SO STRIKE!

*CLUNG!*

Just can't... anymore... too much pain...

Texas- "What the fuck is going on here? KATE? Stink... shit."

Teen Kate- My name...?

Texas- "I NEED MEDICAL NOW! Cherry, they attacked Kate, it's fucking bad!"

Teen Kate- I can hear my name...